RoadKill E3 2003 Preshow Report

At the Electronic Entertainment Expo this week, Midway will be showing off RoadKill, a postapocalyptic car combat game--as if there were any other kind. Not that we're complaining, since the more games we can get that remind us of the classic action film The Road Warrior, the better. The game will feature more than 30 drivable vehicles, all armed to the teeth, and you'll be up against vicious gangs equipped with their own deadly vehicles.

But if you can't beat 'em, you can join 'em. You're a mercenary in this lawless land, and you can pick your allegiances to some extent. The game has a reputation system where different factions may grow to like you more or like you less, depending on how you act and what you blow up. At any rate, you'll be able to salvage gear from the vehicles you destroy, picking up new parts like nitrous boosts and armor. You'll also be able to find hidden blueprints for even better equipment.

Weapons will include mainstays like machine guns, guided missiles, and grenade launchers, and there will be about 20 in all. Gameplay will revolve around 30 core missions, plus numerous optional side missions. RoadKill will also feature a multiplayer deathmatch mode for two to four players. And as you drive around blowing things up, you'll be treated to a radio-station-style soundtrack that seems reminiscent of the soundtracks featured in the Grand Theft Auto games--you'll be able to tune into a station that best suits your destructive tendencies. Xbox owners will be able to rip their own soundtracks, too.

RoadKill is slated for release this fall for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. Stay tuned for more information on the game.